Ski pole grip



Patented July 16, 1940 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE '4 Claims.

This invention relates to ski pole grips and particularly to a rubberski pole grip and for its objects aims to provide a grip molded fromsoft rubber to a shape assuring utmost comfort for 5 the hand and, inits association with the wristsupporting strap member of the pole, amost effective hold against slippage, to provide a grip of soft rubberpeculiarly designed toaccommodate the preferred and most commonlyemployed method of attaching the strap wherein the loopforming ends areanchored to the pole by means of a traversing rivet, to provide a rubbergrip the design of which is such as to employ the anchored ends of thestrap to lock the grip against dislodgement from the pole without,however, piercing the rubber with the rivet, and generally to provide agrip which, from the foregoing and other advanced capabilities,accomplishes the end for which it is intended more effectively than skipole grips previously devised.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I illustrate a preferred embodimentof the present invention:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing the grip and itscomplementing strap applied. to a pole, the pole being shownfragmentarily.

Fig, 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 of Fig. 2 with a part of thestrap being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4 4 of Fig.

1; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view with the pole and strap shownfragmentarily and illustrating the manner in which the bonnet part ofthe grip is turned back for exposing the head end of the pole to permitthe strap to be attached.

Having reference to said drawing, 'the numeral l 6 denotes a ski pole ofcane, metal or any other suitable material carrying, at the lower end, a

snow-gripping wheel of such shape as may be desired and tted, at theupper end, with a wristsupporting strap I and a complementing handgrip8. The strap, preferably of leather, is looped, with the two ends beingsecured to the pole in a manner like or equavilent to that illustrated,which is to say by carrying an end or ends of the strap over the head ofthe pole and passing a rivet 9 diametrically through the pole.

According to the present invention said handgrip is produced from softrubber and to a shape providing an elongated sheath-type body IIJsurmounted by a bonnet part I I, this body part rinding a snug t overthe pole and being thickened to its rear to form a vertical rib I2 whichtapers inwardly at its lower end. The bonnet, which is of thin-walledconstruction bellying outwardly at each side, is suggestive of a closedhelmet in that it extends as a guard over the anchored portion of thestrap with its only opening being a narrow slit I3 in the forward wallthrough which 5 the free loop of the strap projects. The chamber`produced within the bonnet, housing the anchored ends of the strap, issomewhat enlarged beyond the needs of the strap and this enlargement,complemented by the flexible nature of the 10 thin walls, permits thebonnet to be readily drawn back in themanner shown in Fig. 5 to exposethe upper end of the pole. It is in this position that the strap isapplied to the pole or, if the need arises, a damaged strap replaced. 15

It will of course be readily seen that the thick.- ening of the materialto the rear of the grip cushions the skiers grip toward promoting thecomfort of the user and that the taper of the lower end of thisthickened rib permits the little 20 finger of the hand to be hookedabout the concentric lower part of the grip for resisting the tendencyof the hand to slide upwardly on the grip. Augmenting this taper are theprojecting cheeks of the bonnet. 25

Various advantages other than those herein specically pointed out will,it is believed, be apparent without reference thereto. It is myintention that the hereto annexed claims be given a 30 scope in theirinterpretation commensurate with the state of the advance in the art.

What I claim, is:

1. A grip for use with a ski pole having a wristsupporting strapanchored to the upper end of the 35 same, said grip comprising a memberof highly elastic rubber produced with a sheath-type body adapted tosnugly t the pole below the anchored end of the strap and surmounted byan integral bonnet forming a chamber to house the anchored end of thestrap, the bonnet having a slit in its forward wall for the projectiontherethrough of the wrist-supporting partof the strap, said slit beingcharacterized in that the elasticity of the V Ik rubber permits the sameto be expanded sui- 45 ciently to pull the bonnet up and over the end ofthe ski pole whereat the projection of the latter through the expandedslit exposes the anchored end of the strap.

2. A grip for use with a ski pole having a wrist- 50 supporting strapcarried over and anchored to the upper end of the same, said gripcomprising a member of highly elastic rubber produced with a sheath-typebody adapted to snugly t the pole below the anchored end of the strapand sur- 55 mounted by aninteg'ral bonnet of enlarged diameter forming achamber to vhouse the anchoredv opening from the frontal part of thechamber for the projection therethrough of the wrist-supporting part ofthe strap;

3. A grip for use. with a ski pole comprising a sheath-type member of'.soft rubber adapted to snugly t the poleand formed to 'its rear with athickened Wall operating to form a vertical rib the yieldingv characterof which cushions the ngersof'the hand? when gripping the pole, said ribbeingv tapered inwardly at its lower end.

4; In a ski pole having a strap the two ends of which are xed by rarivet to the upper end of the pole to provide a loop for supporting thewrist of the user, the combination with the pole and the kstrapanchoredthereto bythe rivet, of a elasticity of the rubber grip member producedfrom highly elastiorubber and formed with a body part adapted to snuglyiit the pole and having a surmounting bonnet arranged to house theanchored ends of the strap, the bonnet providing an openingaccommodating the projecting loop of the strap, said opening beingcharacterized in that the permits ther opening to be expanded sufcientlyto pull the bonnet up and over the end of the ski pole to have thelatter projected throughlthe opening and thereby expose thestrap-securing rivet.

5. The ski pole gripv dened in claim 1 wherein the body part isthickened to its rear to provide a. vertical rib, saidfrib at its lowerend being tapered inwardly to permit the little iinger of the users handto be hooked about the reduced portion for resisting slippage as betweenthe grip and the hand.y

- SIDNEY GERBER.

